Canada Water Technology Exchange (CWTX) is a not-for-profit Canadian organization based at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. As a university-based centre, it has many unique advantages, including eligibility to apply for the spectrum of possibilities regarding financial support for research, development and education, close ties with other universities and the availability of in-house research facilities, and so on.

CWTX has been established as a centre of excellence to achieve three main goals: (1) to facilitate and undertake joint research and development projects for Canadian universities and their international counterparts (e.g., universities/ research institutes) in the area of water and environmental science, engineering and management, (2) to promote exchanges of university students and professors for research and education, and (3) through research and development undertakings, to promote innovative water technologies to countries beyond the borders of Canada for the benefits of the people in the partnering countries.

In the initial few years, the focus of the work by the staff, partners and network members of the CWTX is on China due to our very close relationships with many top Chinese universities, research institutes and government agencies, such as SAFEA (State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs), MWR (Ministry of Water Resources), etc.

CWTX has formed a team of 37 professors from 22 major universities across Canada, who will work together in small groups to achieve the above goals. Most of the team members are fellows and/or executives of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE, the oldest learned engineering society in Canada), which naturally results in a very close relationship between the CWTX and the CSCE. Out of the 37 Canadian professors, 5 are Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, two are Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada, and six are Canada Research Chairs. Additionally, seven of them are Chair Professors at different top Canadian universities. In 2014, one member in the team received a China Friendship Award, the highest award bestowed on a foreign expert by the Chinese government. All the team members have had collaborative experience in doing research and development work in China in the past, for periods up to 31 years.

CWTX has a group of industrial partners in Canada who can assist the Exchange in the area of international collaboration on existing technologies between Canada and other countries.

CWTX has a small number of staff members and is led by an Executive Director, Dr. Edward A. McBean, Ph. D., P. Eng., FCAE, who is also Professor of Engineering and Canada Research Chair of Water Supply Security; Assistant Dean, College of Physical and Engineering Science, University of Guelph (emcbean@uoguelph.ca).

The members of the CWTX Board of Directors and Advisory Board provide overall directions to the organization.

CWTX is currently supported by the University of Guelph and external funding is currently being sought in Canada and Mainland China and Hong Kong, SAR to support the Exchange in the coming years.

CWTX is actively seeking working partners on Mainland China and would be pleased to initiate discussions on future cooperation.